The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-24
Mn Enrrop. In a recent article in

Mr.. EDITOR: In a recent article in
your columns I briefly considerd the
objection often urged, "that prohibition
does not prohibit" taking, as I did, the
position that prohibition was not ques.
tion of success or of failure, but Of moral
right and necessity-the rule by which
all good men should be governed. Now,
by your permission, notice another
objection, which is the opposite of this,
and which is perhaps more deceptive
and influential, because the more plausi.
BILE. It is, that prohibition may prohibit
too far, SO far as to exclude the possibil-
ity Of getting alcoholic stimulants when
really needed as a medicine. That the
law will be SO stringent, and the business
of keeping and dispensing 80 annoying,
that druggists will refuse, as some are
now doing, to engage in it. There are
signs already Of the prevalence and
influence of such notion, the result no
doubt of an effort to make this special
and telling objection. Many good peo-
pie have been long accustomed to the
use of spirits in their families in cases of
sickness, and they are likely to be led to
feel that it would be great privation
not to be able to get it when really nec-
essary. The prospect, therefore, of such
a result is not without its influence, and
will no doubt be used to the best advan-
tage. Now, to this objection j answer !:
First, it is founded upon an unreasona'
BILE conjecture. It is neither contem-
plated by prohibition, nor is it at all
likely to follow as consequence. Yea,
the prohibitory law now awaiting action,
Notwithstanding, as some suggest, its
stringency, makes ample provision for the
proper obtaining of needed spirits. 1t is
unreasonable to suppose that no oppor.
tunity will be offered to those in need.
Men can and will be found willing and
capable of dealing in spirits, and who
will have the nerve to say and act no.,
whenever the demand for it is unlawful.
tits certainly as respectable to keep and
sell the medicine, labeled whiskey, as that
labeled paregoric, quinine or any other
name. And if the prescribed" spirits
result in good to the bodies of mankind,
in mitigating suffering or saving life, the
act Of keeping and properly dispensing
is more than respectable, it is humane
and benevolent. Under an efficient
prohibitory law, supply and demand will
become adjusted, just the same as under
other laws. A sound and healthy man
does not need whiskey, and it is a great
evil for him to have it, while if the feeble
and sickly require it, there will be
chances enough to get it. This is what
prohibition means. To the objection l
answer again, should it come 10 the
worst, as anticipated in the objection,
who can clearly show that any one would
be the loser thereby?. In other words
can it be clearly demonstrated that alco.
holic stimulants are indispensably neces-
sary in medicine7 think not. The
value of such stimulants has been by
experience and observation clearly es.
tablisbed, but to say that they admit Of
no substitute would hardly be true. The
medical profession is in possession Of
large number of stimulants and tonics
that would we'll take the place ofalcoholic
preparations, perhaps not so convenient
OF prompt in action, but more permanent
and equally useful ia->sfects: What
physician ta1 with certainty assert he
has saved life by them that could moi
have been saved by other means? That
they are often used where other agente
would do equally as we'll or better, can.
not be denied, and the use of them
incidentally by the non-professional
masses gives, in ninety-nine cases in q
hundred, only imaginary benefits
| Whiskey has been lauded as remedy
for snake bite, and yet after some obser.
vation of its effects in such cases I am
satisfied there are other stimulants and
narcotics that would do better. / once
saw lady using whiskey freely fol
snake bite, and the more she used the
worse she became. With some people
such an event is looked upon as favor.
able opportunity to satisfy previously
existing appetite for full dose of "the
critter." I have known one snake bite
to result in the use of several gallons, the
patient being greatly sypmathiaed with in
his afaiction. People often imagine
they should have "bitters," but the kind
that takes best is that of six dogwood
berries to the gallon of whiskey. I knew
man once who bought few gallons Of
"good old corn" to take when feeling
badly, and he said some how a bad feel.
ing would come over him every time he
went about the house.
Ofone thing observing men are salts.
fed, that is, that however useful liquor
may be as medicine, its evils, used as a
beverage, far overbalance its benefits
med slly, If this be true, all good
men lld afford to dispense with it as a
medicine, if it should be found really
necessary to do 80. Now, the objection
thus considered is only plea for license,
and let every one who loves sobriety,
order, peace, security, prosperity, and
his "neighbor as himself" watch, lest he
be caught in its subtle folds.
O. V. B.
Geonn In fI,a Topfelatura